mandela's passing. she said it was one of her greatest honors to be invited to his home and called him humble, graceful and heroic. she hosted mandela on her show 13 years ago. >> i had said that you are one of the most humble person i ever met. i will tell you whether mr. mandela arrived today he said to our producer and said what is the subject of today's show? [ applause ] and she said nelson mandela. you are the subject of today's show. and he goes, oh, all right. >> she credits mandela as the inspiration for her school for girls in south africa. our coverage of nelson mandela's life and death continues later this half hour as we hear from mandela's jailer who describes their unusual and long-lasting

friendship. you want to keep it here on abc news all morning long. all right. we will turn to other major headlines beginning with something of a reversal by the white house involving the president's uncle who had been facing deportation from the u.s. omar and the president had never met but they said he lived with him three weeks while attending law school. it came after the judge ruled he could stay ignoring a deportationing order two decades ago. libyan government says so far no one claimed responsibility for shooting an american teacher to death as he jogged through the streets of benghazi. despite threats. he chose to stay and teach high school chemistry. his wife and son had come home to texas for the holidays and he planned to join them next week. check out that emirates airlines jumbo jet trying to

land in strong winds yesterday in birmingham, england. it attempted to ground two times and failed both times. it landed at different airport. one passenger tweeted out never flying again. florida state quarterback jame miswinston will not be charged with sexually assaulting a woman a prosecutor says he will not pursue the case because there were too many gaps in his accuser's story and not enough evidence to win a conviction. winston will looed lead the seminoles in the acc title game tomorrow night and he is a leading candidate for the heisman trophy. much of the u.s. is in bitterly frigid conditions. a storm spreading record amounts of snow, ice and cold. arkansas is one of the many states where ice warnings will be in effect all day. roads are virtually impassable. thousands without power. abc's brandi hitt has more on the big chill. >> reporter: as one area of the country tries digging out from under several feet of snow.

>> doing our best trying to clear the roads right now. >> reporter: the south and midwest are bracing for the blast of bone-chilling temperatures. you are looking at the threat of ice over the next 48 hours from dallas to cincinnati. this truck in arkansas is one of many that have been sliding out of control on the icy roads. >> we already have our equipment and manpow er strategically placed throughout the district. >> families in oklahoma and texas are stocking up on food and supplies after witnessing what their neighbors to the north have experienced the last several days. >> kind of chilly out here. only supposed to get colder. >> reporter: in denver, airport crews are busy de-icing planes. out west, citrus growers are fighting freezing conditions overnight with their wind machines. while furnace repairmen also work around the clock. >> couldn't have been much more than 40 and space heaters only go so far.

>> an icy run at the dallas mary on the this weekend with temperatures expected in the 30s. marathon officials say it will go on, as planned, unless conditions are deemed unsafe. >> thank you. in oklahoma city, conditions are so dangerous people are urged to stay home today unless it is absolutely necessary to go sglouds our coverage is continuing at accu-weather with meteorologist jim dickey has dire predictions. good morning, jim. >> good morning, john and diana. we continue to deal with extreme cold here in the midwest, northern plains and rockies. these are early morning examines, not windchill values. minus four minneapolis. minus 15 pierre, minus 12 in denver. last night denver fell to minus 15 that died the record for the day. as it moves south and east relative warmth. as the two collide seeing heavy rain, snow and in the middle freezing rain. we have a layer of warmth in the middle of the atmosphere. snow comes in to that. memts at the surface and falls

to ice, encasing roadways and trees. it could be days before power is restored. back to you. >> thank you. here's a look at the rest of the weather. a wintry mix for the northeast. clear and mild in southern georgia and florida. sunny across the southwest but the next storm is hitting the west coast an that will bring snow to oregon and california. >> mild in the northeast, warmer as you go further south. high teens in and 20s. and the west coast shiverering from the 30s to the 50s. >> coming up we return to the top story. nelson mandela's push for change. >> his influence on world leaders and everyday people you are watching "world news now." fasten your seatbelts everybody. [ mixer whirring ] good thing we've got bounty. bounty select-a-size.

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tributes to mandela are exploding on social media. here's jim avila. >> reporter: nelson mandela made history in grainy black and white but his death was covered in social media approaching 4 million tweets in the first two hours after his death was announced. form er president clinton

posting this picture, a hand shake and the words, i will never forget my friend mariba. and bush. it is a type of worldwide experience that draws young and old, black and white to share feelings. south african native charlize theron my thoughts and love to the family. rest in peace mariba. you will be missed but your impact will be felt frempl spike lee left this simple message and then this one from nasa, intergal lactic message. posting a picture of south africa. and crowds continue to gather in front of mandela's home, perhaps the day east most poignant message from mandela's own twitter account. death is inevitable. when a man has done what he considers to be a duty to his people he can rest in people. a virtual memorial on social media. electronic good-byes for the man that brought the world together. jim avila, abc news, new york.

>> great one that came in from the dolly alai lama. he said he was a great human being. someone who we can truly say lived a meaningful life. >> we heard from so many people but from president obama also. he said, not only obviously that we have to remember him but he said he's gone home and we lost one of the most influential, courageous human beings that any of us will share time on this earth with. >> the president's words were great. he said he no longer belongs to us now. he longs to the ages. >> very true. now what happens is there is this ten-day memorial process. the yardian is reporting this is going to be an emic time. >> john paul ii. >> in 2005 his funeral. >> it will come to a stand still. the country can't function. there will be organized and impromptu memials.

that is happening right now. this thing will happen thoughout the ten days and beyond then. >> all right. we'll be right back.

the pride in everybody's face when they take a picture with that man. nelson mandela lived the kind of life that few on this planet will ever achieve. we have a look back at his inconquerable spirit. >> reporter: nelson mandela a leader who inspired a nation's

hope. >> both black and white will be able to walk tall. >> reporter: forgive. >> at peace with itself and the world. ♪ >> reporter: his tribal name given at birth means troublemaker. but on the earth e first day of school his teacher gave him a new name. >> you must have a christian name and i said no, i don't have one. and he said from today you are going to be nelson. >> he was a boxer who became a lawyer and a leading voice in the african national congress the amc. struggling to end apartheid. white ruled the viciously enforced policy of racial segregation. but after '60s after police shot and killed 69 protesters the amc which had always been nonviolent

created a military wing under mandela's command. mandela was imprisoned in 1962. two years later sentenced to life in prison accused to working to overthrow the government. in court, on trial for his life, he said this. >> i have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society. it is an ideal for which i hope to live for and to see realized. but, my lord, if it needs be, it is an ideal for which i am prepared to die. >> reporter: four miles off of capetown, south africa, mandela spent 27 years cut off from the world but not forgotten. released at the age of 72 in '90 he remained ever vigilant that his country and its freedoms rested in the hands of its people. >> black and white, apartheid has no future. >> reporter: in 1994, south

africans cast their ballot in the first democratic election. this morning applause for the first black voter. mandela became the country's president, the first elected by all of its people. >> we are all south africans. we have had a good fight but now this is a time to heal the old wound and to build a new south africa. ♪ >> reporter: after ruling for five years, nelson mandela passed the torch to the next generation and became an elder statesman to the world, a fighter, a visionary. the voice of his people and more accomplished. >> abc news. >> today following his passing the new south african president, president zuma said our nation has lost its greatest son and

our people have lost a father. >> a man whose fighting spirit was matched by his humility and compassion. few hew human beings present either one of those sides in the amount that he did and he had both. >> absolutely. [ dad ] ah! lily...

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♪ >> this half hour, nelson mandela brought a great many gifts to our generation but his most private, painful moments gave us a very powerful message. >> a message of forgiveness and friendship. here's abc's david muir. >> he piers out to robben island prison where he first reported for duty at 18. >> they informed us we are going to meet the biggest criminal in

south africa. >> nelson mandela was 60, already in prison more than a decade. still forced to sleep on the floor. the young jailer's family -- fiercely supported apartheid but when he met nelson mandela he met a man that would treat him with respect and the jailer would offer the same in return. he talked about winnie's -- >> no children allowed, not even mandela's precious grand baby. what winnie didn't know is the jailer had secretly brought the baby to mandela. >> there were just tearing coming out of his eyes. >> nobody knew. >> all of those isolated years on robben island there was one view he loved the top of table mountain here in capetown behind me. that mandela would look to this view wondering if he would ever

be free. >> reporter: mandela was always preparing for that day. he asked the jailer to teach the language of the whites in power. there are there were essays assigned and the red pen that corrected them and on the day mandela was released his speech was delivered in -- mandela famously said if you talk to a man in a language he understands that goes to his head. if you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart. >> that's what he did. that's what he strived for. that's what he was loved for and would fight for while he was in prison. to have people live in peace. >> reporter: the jailer who became a trusted friend now remembering nelson mandela. >> so powerful, like gandhi, martin luther king. the moral authority this man had disarmed everybody eventually. >> this is the story we only hear one person's perspective but so many people have their own stories that will live on as his legacy.

>> that's our news for this half hour.

3:00 this morning a giant of human rights is gone. forever changing history and his life-long bat against racial inequality. >> today south africa, black and white, apartheid has no future. >> reporter: he spent nearly three decades in prison emerging to become the first black president of south africa. this morning the world reacts to the news. this is continuing coverage of abc news remembers nelson mandela, a man who changed the world.

>> good friday morning, everyone. i'm john muller. >> i'm diana perez. it's a special edition of "world news now" as the world mourns nelson mandela while celebrating his accomplishment. >> nelson mandela is remembered for his dignity, determination and unparalleled sacrifice. >> in impromptu memorials are going ape cross the globe for the man who spent nearly a third of his life in prison for his fight against apartheid but many are celebrating his life, singing, dancing and waving flags in the streets of south africa. president obama mandela no locker belongs to us but the ages. his body has been removed but mourners are gathering outside to honor his memory. >> condolences are pouring in from people touched by the man who influenced nations. >> abc's karen travers has more about this icon's life and death. good morning, karen. >> reporter: good morning. nelson mandela's health had been

declining for some time but still south africans held on to hope. they and so many around the world are remembering his courage and strength. how he healed the nation and changed history. >> outside of the home where nelson mandela died, they sang in memory and in mourning. >> great fighter, strong man. >> reporter: south africa's president delivered the long-dreaded news. >> our nation has lost its greatest son. our people have lost their father. >> reporter: president obama praised the man he called a personal inspiration. >> we have lost one of the most influential, courageous, and profoundly good human beings that any of us will share time with on this earth. >> reporter: that sense of historical loss ranged from royalty. >> extremely sad and tragic newswe are reminded what an extraordinary and inspiring man nelson mandela was. >> reporter: to regular people. >> is there a man who has more people aware of what he has

contributed? >> reporter: as a young man, nelson mandela faced daily hue mill yagts of living under apartheid, a system of government-enforced racial division that led to the oppression of the majority, black south africans. mandela made for fight for his country and the liberation his cause. but he was sentenced to a life in prison. free mandela became synonymous. >> thank you all. in the name of peace, and freedom for all. >> reporter: he was embraced by his people and the wompld mandela became a nobel peace prize recipient and was elected president in the country's first free election. now millions are mourning nelson mandela. he was a symbol of freedom and the strength of the human spirit in south africa and beyond.

john and diana? >> karen, mandela clear hero to president obama. will he be traveling to south africa for the memorial? >> no trip has been announced yet by the white house but it seems likely the president and possibly first lady would go over for the services when they happen over the next week or two. the president was so candid yesterday speaking about the influence that nelson mandela had in his life. he said he could not imagine living his life without the example that nelson mandela set. >> tell us more about president obama's last trip to south africa and when he first met mandela has a senator. >> reporter: president obama was in south africa in june. nelson mandela was very sick at that point. the white house said out of respect for him and his family they were not going to have the obamas a go and meet him. instead he took his wife and daughters to nominee's cell on robben island. he said it was a privilege and honor to be there. the first and only time they met is right after president obama was elected senator in 2005. it was at a hotel here in

washington. the president and then senator was not on nelson mandela's schedule but he stayed strong and persevered and he got himself on that schedule. they had a brief meeting and there is an iconic photo take than day by one of the president's aides and that photo hangs in the west wing. >> the only photo that exists of that meeting, by the way. karen travers reporting live from washington. thank you. mandela died at his home surrounded by his youngest daughters who were in london at the time attending a premier about of a film about his life. they asked the film be played until the end. the audience which included prince william, was only told that mandela died as the credits rolled. the marquee lit up in his honor. new york was the first stop on his u.s. tour in 1990. he wanted to go to harlem because the people knew about resistance and fighting for change. stay with abc news as we remember nelson mandela's lel legacy. information about his family and

his memorial. keep it here on abc news all morning long. now to the other major story this morning. we learning more about the popular american chemistry teacher gunned down jogging in the libyan city of benghazi. ronnie smith was a fan of twitter. he used it as a teacher tool. he described himself as libya's best friend. here's abc's terry moran sglr ronnie smith, 33 years old, charismatic chemistry teacher gunned down while jogging through the streets of benz bnz at the international school where smith taught the last 13 months horror and disbelief. >> the students themselves shocked and upset and crying. supporting each other, helping each other. >> reporter: as we saw during the libyan revolution, benghazi has been torn by violence and criminality since the fall of moammar gadhafi. it was the scene of a terrorist attack in 2012 on the u.s. consulate that took the lives of

ambassador chris stevens and three other americans. over the weekend, an al qaeda spokesman urged libyans to attack westerners in revenge for the u.s. capture of a want terrorist there. amid all of the violence, many libyans are struggling to remake their country and ronnie smith, a texan, a husband and father of a 2-year-old boy was there to help. loved teaching the libyan teens at his school and they loved him back. >> to me, he was just one of my favorite people. he was really funny. he was not just a teach. he was a friend. >> shocked students poured out their grief and memories. his door was open to anyone who needed advice, a hug or simply a plate of homemade chinese food. >> he was determined to be here and make a difference and he did. >> reporter: lonnie smith was planning to head home to america to join his family for christmas. terry moran, abc news, london. a nasty blast of record cold is gripping much of the country this morning, threatening nearly

200 million people. ice storm warnings will be in effect today in parts of the south, most of arkansas and tennessee can expect accumulations of half inch or more of ice, creating dismal driving conditions and widespread power outages. oklahoma taking a beating. in addition to ice and sleet, six inches of snow flurry is expected to file up. emergency management officials have set up industrialized generator and stocked shelters. they are warning people not to leave their homes unless it is absolutely necessary. >> good advice as denver and minneapolis wake up to below zero weather again. >> the latest on the storm system from meteorologist jim dickey at accu-weather. >> good morning. a pocket of extremely cold air funnels its way south and eastward here. as it does we are seeing ice and snow. in some cases heavy ice and snow. significant ice storm underway continuing here. started thursday night and continues through tonight. the worst of it across central

arkansas in to portions of western kentucky. dangerous road conditions this morning. along with that downed trees and power lines. power outages could last for weeks. back to you. >> thank you very much. we are returning to our top story the life and death of nelson mandela. >> the worldwide remember braens why he is so beloved here in the u.s. you are watching manslaughter manslaughter. -- manslaughter /* "world news now." now."

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♪ >> welcome back as we continue to pay tribute to nelson mandela. a look at his impact in the land of freedom. here's byron pitts on what mandela meant to america. >> reporter: just four month after he was set free from prison in 1990, nelson mandela set foot in america for the first time. an eight-city tour, starting in new york. it was magical. it was as if malcolm and martin were still alive an the mets had won the world series, all in new york, all in one day.

mandela spoke at yankees stadium. >> you now know who i am. i am yankee. >> reporter: it wasn't mandela's oratory skills but his story that inspired. a story so familiar it intertwined with america's past and still so very painful. the anti-apartheid protest of the '80s captivated a new generation on college campuses and communities. ♪ >> reporter: amidst the demonstrations demanding die vestment in south africa american, but the ongoing violence there in townships there like soweto. it took the story of one man to help america better understand the struggle of one nation. mandela reminded the world with reconciliation was more powerful than revenge.

forgiveness is a gift to be given. the boldness of his vision humbled the powerful in america. >> don't you hate those people when they let you go? he said briefly i did. but when i was walking out of my compound for the last time, i said to myself, they have had you 27 years. if you hate them when you get through that door, they will still have you. >> reporter: the famous. >> if you can proceed through life with just a portion of nelson mandela's humility, you will be a huge success. >> reporter: the audacity of mandela's rise also inspired a young politician from illinois. senator barack obama visited mandela's cell on robben island when his own destiny was but a dream. so back then, there was little wonder why, watching a 71-year-old man dance could please so many people. it was the walk that preceded it. during his visit to boston 23 years ago, i met mr. mandela ever so briefly.

there was time for one question, mr. mandela, i asked, what's the one thing in life you know for sure? with that elegant smile he answered, good and evil are always at war. good men must choose. with defiance and dignity and equal measure nelson mandela chose and america loved him for it. byron pitts, abc news, new york. >> amazing seeing those shots. a man in some respects is on this mt. olympus of great human beings was so human and everybody who met him said the same thing. the shot of him wearing a yankees' hat is so great. i'm a mets fan. i will forgive him for that but so human mr. he tries to connect with people. he said i have discovered the secret. i have walked this long walk to freedom and i'm not perfect. i have made a lot of mistakes

but he said i discovered for every hill you climb there are more hills to climb. in all that he achieved he knew because south africa wasn't where he wanted it to be there was more to achieve in his lifetime. >> where do you start with all of these accolades for him. just amazing. coming up we continue to remember the legacy of nelson mandela. and nelson mandela's impact on popular culture. a look at the movies he inspired and stars who played him. you are watching "world news now."

welcome back.

we are joined by lana zak who recently spent time in south africa after mandela fell ill. >> you spoke to mandela's daughter recently and talked about the personal sacrifices that had to be made, not only by her family but by her father, as. we tell us about this conversation. >> reporter: it reminded me of the sacrifices mandela made and they were tremendous sacrifices but it was shared with his entire family. at times, not only were they without their father, being in prison, but their mother winnie mandela spent many days in jail in solitaire confinement and these are two little kids growing up without a father or mother and they remembered the sacrifice it took out of them. for nelson mandela who cared so much about children, for him it was a tremendous sacrifice, as well. he made the point he was doing it not only for his children but all the children of south africa. >> you spent so much time outside of the home. what was the scene at the home

and was there a feeling that this man deserves the peace. >> the people were respectful. in all of their tributes they wanted to say thank you to mandela and really say they -- the world's best wishes were inspired by him. so outside of his home, i took a couple of pictures. one of the wonderful things, in the flower bed, not obtrusive statements but so many people would drop off little rocks painted with all of these wonderful well wishes. madiba which means father in south african. we love you. we thank you. we are praying for you. you can see the little colored rocks and people were still dropping them off when i was there. >> you were there five weeks. you were there for quite sometime and you had interpersonal relationships with the members of the family and were talking to them recently. what would you say the legacy that nominee snm leaving bemind

south africa and also around the world? >> the first thing he would say is he wasn't a saint. as you were talking about before, he was such a person, a man. who made personal mistakes. he had failed marriages. the fact he had those foyables you can see it in yourself. sometimes we see legendary figures and think there is no way i could be like mandela but he responded by saying, he is so much more than that. he unleashes the power within all of us. >> we are looking at live pictures. clearly the mood in south africa must be a large element of celebration to go along with mourning. >> you saw outside of his home in soweta. the small two-bedroom home he shared with winnie. people were dancing in the streets, celebrating the life. they see him as their father and

miss him and wish him the best in everything. >> lana zak, thank you for joining us this morning. coming up, south africa and the world awakens this morning and there is only one big headline. >> a look at the morning papers coming up.

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♪ oprah had a strong reaction to mandela's passing. >> she said, quote, one of the great honors of my life was to be invited to nelson mandela's home, spend private time and get to know him. he is everything you ever heard and more. hummable and unscathed by bitterness and loved to tell a good joke. being in his presence was like sitting with grace and majesty at the same time.

he will always be my hero. his life was a gift to us all. >> nelson mandela way more than a south african figure, a world figure, iconic figure, a figure for the ages. we have headlines and newspaper covers to show you. we will start with a paper from south africa this is "the star." the headline the world weeps and a quote from president jacob zuma that sums it up. although we knew this day would come, nothing can diminish our profound loss. along with the feeling of loss is a feeling of celebration for one of the greats of humanity. >> "the kwardian" owl out of lon gone. in nominee 1918-2013. a towering figure. died last night at age 95.

another statement from jacob sioux zuma. the nation has lost its greatest son and he said our people lost a father, which is very -- not only was he. >> great quote. >> such a father figure for everybody around the world. he had such influence. >> no doubt about it. look at the "washington post" and the headline the nation's healer is dead. first quote from president obama. he no longer belongs to us. he belongs to the ages. that is a powerful, true quote. and the prisoner who became president, south africa's leader, a symbol of moral force. >> all of the things that he was, where he was iconic and legendary and he became such a big thing, the next headline from the new york daily news sums up what he was. it says nelson mandela 1918-2013, farewell dear friend and i think a lot of people were able to connect with him in such a way where they felt not only was he a mass pif man where they couldn't touch him but interconnected to our lives in a

daily basis. >> the best of humanity right there. certainly will be missed and celebrated. we'll be right back.

this morning the passing of nelson mandela. it's the news the nation had prepared for. a man beloved around the world is gone. >> in the name of peace, democracy and freedom for all. >> he was known as the father of modern south africa. a powerful symbol of racial unity. becoming the nation's first black president and guiding its transition to democracy. becoming a legendary figure to people in every corner of the globe. this is abc news continuing coverage, nelson mandela, a man who changed the world. ♪

>> good friday morning. i'm diana perez. >> i'm jon john muller. it is a special edition of "world news now" as the world mourns nelson mandela while celebrating his accomplishment. >> he was the embodiment. >> in failing health at 95 his death did not come as a surprise but for the millions that revered him it was impactful nonetheless. abc's alexander marquardt is in johannesburg where many people woke up to the news hours after the rest of the world. >> when the news broke of mandela's south, south africans flocked to mandela's home. ♪ >> young, old, black and white. >> i wouldn't be free if it they danced. >> i wouldn't be free if it

wasn't for him. >> reporter: some who overcome with grief. >> i'm disappointed. i'm sad. but at the same time, i think he's had his part in life and did it very well. >> reporter: these scenes swept across the country in to the wee hours of the morning after president jacob zuma broke the news to the nation and the rest of the worldworld. >> he's now at peace. our nation has lost its greatest son. our people have lost a father. >> reporter: tribute to the man affectionately known as tata madiba poured in. president of south africa said your spirit and example will be there to guide us to the vision

of a better, more just south africa. there will be ten days of national mourning during which time he will lie in state so south africans can pay final respects for his body is transported to his ancestral village of qunu. alexander marquardt, abc news, johannesburg. >> alex, thank you. >> president obama among one of the first leaders to respond to mandela's death. he ordered flags flown at half staff. saying he can't imagine his life without the example that mandela set. the president mandela in person only once in 2005 when he was a junior senator. mandela's daughters were in london at the time of his death. the women left the theater immediately after getting the news but they asked the film be played until the end. including prince william who was told that mandela died as the credits rolled. >> while south africa begins official mourning period, we are getting insight about his last wishes. what about the last wishes and

are his family members getting along? >> never nice to see a family fighting. toward the end there were some infighting with the grandson moving the bodies of some of mandela's dead children. he always wanted to lay forever in qunu, which is his boyhood home. when i was there he lawsuits were resolved. it sounds like now the family has come together and decided he will let him have his final wishes to be back in qunu. >> for as much progress as south africa has made with nelson mandela being live. now he's gone there is more progress to be made. where do they stand economically? >> there's still a lot of problems. there's defacto segregation, economic problems, educational problems that south africa needs to advance on in order to

realize the society that nelson mandela had in mind for south africa. being in south africa, the folks there, from all different colors, all different backgrounds, all different socioeconomic levels they are talking about these things and really feel like together they will be able to do so much more. >> abc's lana zak, thank you so much. >> the coverage of nelson mandela's life and death does not end here. see how his story influenced pop culture and moviemakers later in this half hour. another headline, the investigation in to she shooting of an american teacher in libya. ronnie smith gunned down while jogging at a u.s. consulate in benghazi. his murder comes days after al qaeda called for libyan attacks on u.s. interests. smith's wife and son returned to the u.s. for the holidays. he was set to join them next week. a wicked storm slamming the nation this morning is far from over. a treacherous mix of snow and sleet crippling the south central u.s. blanketing arkansas, oklahoma and tennessee. here's abc's clayton sandell. >> reporter: temperatures are dropping and blood pressures

rising as a major winter storm barrels east. minnesota a mess of spinning tires and plows. the state digging out from under heavy snow. oklahoma grocery stores are selling out. >> i wanted to beat the rush. i didn't. >> reporter: tennessee declared a state of emergency. further west, it's the frigid cold. oklahoma city chillier than anchorage, alaska. this oregon mill was coated in ice. in california, growers are burning peach pits for enough heat to save a $2 billion citrus crop. >> we have to protect it at all costs. >> reporter: in denver, they are de-icing planes and trying to find shelter for the homeless. >> these sorts of nights don't happen a lot but it is dangerous. >> reporter: staying warm means piling on the layers. >> i've got this coat and then a sweater and long-sleeve shirt

and thermal underwear under that. >> reporter: denver tied a chilly record at minus 15 degrees. at tom's urban restaurant. >> this is our walk in cooler this is 35, 38 degrees. it's actually warmer in the freezer. >> two degrees. >> that is 17 degrees warmer than outside. >> this is where we warm up. >> now criminals are take advantage of the cold looking for puffers. what's a puffer? it is a car that an owner leaves running unattended so they can warm it up. police say they have had a half dozen puffer cars stolen. clayton sandell, abc news, denver. >> from the ice storm in the mid south to the brutal cold in the upper midwest the storm is dangerous. >> meteorologist jim dickey is tracking it all at accu-weather. good morning, jim. >> good morning, john and diana. once again, a brutally cold air mass has set up across the northern plains the rockies to the upper midwest. these are expected early morning temperatures. minus 4 in minneapolis.

minus 15 in pierre and minus 12 in denver. as this cold moves to the east, we continue to see snow, ice and rain from texas, north and east to the ohio valley and significant ice in some locations. that includes much of arkansas, including little rock area. big-time impacts. looking for dangerous road conditions, especially through the morning commute along with power outages and it could be days before power is restored. along with that, three to six inches of snow spreading to the ohio valley and the northeast. john, diana, back to you. >> thank you very much. coming up we return to our top story in returning nelson mandela's hule roots. >> and hear how his profound words will resonate in the history books. this is a special edition of "world news now." ♪ you disgust me.

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♪ >> welcome back. it is not an understatement to say that nelson mandela's time on earth literally changed the world. >> abc's terry moran has more on

mandela's life and legacy. >> mandela was born in 1918 in the royal family of the tubu people but he grew up under apartheid racial segregation and oppression. it is hard to imagine the pure evil of that system. abject poverty for blacks and severe restrictions on travel, education and employment. whites enjoyed all of the powers and riches in this rich country. his name meant troublemaker. perhaps it was his destiny, particularly after the massacre in 1960 when he and the african national congress took up armed struggle. >> there are many people who feel it is useless for us to talk about peace and nonviolence against a government who is using savage attacks on unarmed defenseless people.

>> reporter: mandela was a born leader. so in 1964 the apartheid government tried him for treason and sought the death penalty. his opening statement to the court electrified the country. >> i have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society. it is an ideal for which i hope to live for and see realized. but my lord, if it needs be, it is an ideal for which i am prepared to die. >> reporter: mandela was sentenced to life in prison and sent to the notorious robben island prison and he was not heard from for nearly 30 years. and then in 1990, the south african government, under increasing pressure and isolated in the world, suddenly yielded. >> mr. nelson mandela will be released at the staff prison. >> reporter: it was an amazing moment when mandela walked out

of prison. on february 11th, 1990. the world rejoiced. he worked with his former enemy to move toward free elections and the end of apartheid. he and frederik willem de klerk were jointly awarded the nobel peace prize in 1993 and the following year this, the world again looked on in wonder and joy as millions of black south africans lined up to vote for the first time. nelson mandela was elected president in a landslide. >> so help me god. >> reporter: a few months later at his inauguration attended by scores of world leaders, he declared a new era for his beloved country. >> never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another. >> reporter: terry moran, abc news. >> now what happens next is nelson mandela's body has already been moved to the

hospital. he will be given a state funeral. not only that, but all of the flags will be at half staff until the funeral is over. there's a ten-day mourning period for south africans, which obviously starts now. >> just amazing. it's a life that goes beyond anything a book or hollywood could ever make up. truly epic life from an epic man. >> nelson mandela inspired acts of revolution and kindness. his life moved artists to capture his spirit. >> up next, the movies inspired by mandela and how hollywood is reacting to his death. you are watching "world news now." ♪ ♪ >> announcer: "world news now" continues after this from our abc stations.

♪ nelson mandela had a profound global impact. not just in the world of politics but in nearly every facet of modern culture. >> the at least of which was the world of entertainment. mandela was the inspiration for a number of movies. some blockbusters and others controversial.

screen legend, sydney poitier starred along side michael caine. ? a look at the events leading up to mandela's release from prison in '90 after 27 years of incarceration. -- "invictus" chronicled the events after the rugby world cup hosted in that country following the dismantling of apartheid. >> and just this year, mandela in "mandela walk to freedom." it chronicled his life journey from childhood in a rural village through his inauguration as the first democratically elected president of south korea. >> mandela has a single acting credit to his name, appearing in the 1992 spike lee film. he was a schoolteacher reciting the lines from malcolm x's speech by any means necessary. an interesting side note.

mandela told spike lee he would not say the words "by any means necessary." world leaders, celebrities and everyday people honoring mandela by sharing their thoughts on social media. >> mandela had deep ties to hollywood. spike lee included mandela in his film about malcolm x shared this picture on instagram. you can see mandela wearing the "x" baseball cap there. >> anderson cooper said i remember soweto election day 1994. standing in line with elderly south african voters for the first time in their lives. >> mike tyson tweeted out a picture of himself and nelson mandela. tyson noted he heard about mandela's death while on african soil in algeria. tyson wrote sending prayers to nelson mandela's family. charlize theron said, your impact on the world will live forever. adding there will never be words to say what i am feeling now. i'm saddened to the depths of my

soul truly. >> obviously these go on and on. this from beyonce, who had an opportunity to meet mandela and she instagramed this picture of herself, her husband, jay-z and mandela's wife saying god bless. >> fergie sharing a picture of herself with nelson mandela. saying meeting nelson mandela was a memorable moment in life for me. he was an angel. and as we pay tribute to nelson mandela, a celebration of his life. >> truly. these artists are coming out more and more throughout the entire day we get updates via e-mail of who was tweeting out next. presidents tweeting out and not only the people who are in hollywood. of course we leave you with one example of the way his life inspired artists everywhere. the way right back. his life inspired artists everywhere. we'll be right back. ♪

♪ ♪ if you are like us, your facebook and twitter feeds are filling up with quotes by nelson mandela. >> his words inspired justice in his own nation and the better part of the last century they moved men and women just about everywhere. here's nelson mandela in his own words. >> south africa is a -- there's room for all the rars races in this country.

to spend 27 years at the prime of your life is a tragedy. race country. to spend 27 years at the prime of your life is a tragedy. i have wasted in prison. >> let each one of you and all of our people give the enemies of peace and liberty. those faced to take us back to apartheid. south africa has to eliminate racial hatred and suspicion caused and offer equality to all of its citizens of peace, security and prosperity. >> together, we must pledge to continue our united effort for the abolition of the apartheid system. we are here because you took the humane decision that you could

not ignore the inhumanity represented by the apartheid system. >> never doubted in our mind. even as we celebrate, let us remind ourselves that our work is far from complete. where there is poverty and sickness, including aids, where humans are being oppressed, there's more work to be done. >> i have completely retired. i've left office. i have lost influence. i'm now a has-been. don't call me. i'll call you.

♪

this morning, the world wakes to the news that a joint of human and civil rights is gone. nelson mandela, a guiding force, reve revered, forever changing history. >> recognize that apartheid has no future. >> he spent nearly three decades in prison, emerging to become the first black president of south africa. a father figure to his people. and to millions around the world. this morning, new reaction from every corner of the world. >> i cannot fully imagine my own life without the example that nelson mandela set. >> right now on "america this morning," abc news remembers